A MOTORIST who knew he was over the drink-drive limit alerted police himself to a crash which occurred as he tried to avoid two deer in the road.

Cameron Platts, 58, gave an honest account of his wrongdoing to magistrates after he was brought to court for an offence he committed on the B6277 late last month.

Prosecutor Jackie Partington said Platts had called police by dialling 101 at 11.30pm on October 30.

Officers attended and found Platt’s BMW X4 in a ditch just before 1am.

“They described him as struggling to keep his balance, smelling of intoxicants,” said the prosecutor. “He had been driving home from the pub and swerved to avoid two deer.

"He admitted at the scene he’d had a few pints and a rum and coke. He told police he would be over the limit. It was a mistake. He would take his punishment.”

Platts, of High Windy Hall, Garrigill, near Alston, admitted a drink-driving charge in court.

He also provided magistrates with a full account of what happened as he travelled along a road which was foggy in places. “I was coming back from Alston,” he said. “I’ve driven that road thousands of times.

“There were two deer. It was a mother and son or a daughter which came over the centre of the road. One went one way and the other the other. I didn’t want to either hit them or damage my vehicle.”

But this came to rest in a ditch just 500 yards from his home. He had got out, initially called his mother and then contacted police. “I told them exactly where I was. I stayed by the vehicle,” he said.

Platts admitted to being “quite shocked” that an evidential specimen of breath, taken two-and-a-half hours after the incident, showed he was twice the legal drink-drive limit.

He also told magistrates he was a registered carer for his elderly mother, who had a number of health conditions and attended appointments at three different hospitals.

“The sooner the driving ban is over, the sooner I can look after my mother,” added Platts, a man without previous convictions.

He was fined £200 and given an 18-month driving ban. This will be reduced by 18 weeks if he successfully completes a rehabilitation course which was offered to him.